📌 Key Points
- Rajesh Kumar reveals lead actors often don’t interact with or rehearse with supporting cast.
- Kumar suggests this lack of interaction can negatively impact film quality.
- He recounts experiences where ‘great actors’ refused rehearsals or even basic acknowledgment.
- Hai Jawani Toh Ishq Hona Hai, starring Varun Dhawan and Mrunal Thakur, is slated for a May 22 release.
Actor Rajesh Kumar has ignited a debate about Bollywood’s star system, alleging that lead actors often display insecurity towards supporting cast members. He claims some stars avoid interaction, hindering film quality due to a lack of collaboration.
Rajesh Kumar on Bollywood’s Class System
Indian cinema has long been driven by the star system. However, it is not just the lead star who contributes to a film’s success, but also the supporting cast and crew. In a recent podcast with Aftab Puttoo, actor Rajesh Kumar , best known for his roles in Sarabhai vs Sarabhai and Saiyaara , spoke about the class system on film sets, revealing that on many occasions, lead stars do not even speak to supporting cast members.
Rajesh further added that while he has never worked with Amitabh Bachchan, he has heard that the veteran actor likes to rehearse his scenes with supporting cast members. However, he mentioned that lately, not many lead actors rehearse with the supporting cast. He said, “They don’t have any interaction with the secondary cast, and that is why the film suffers, because sometimes people think that the secondary actor might overshadow us. They make it so that the secondary cast gets their lines at the last moment. This way, the actor is just consumed with learning the lines.”
The Impact of Insecurity on Film Quality
Sharing his own experience, he said, “I have worked with some ‘great actors’ who will not look at you and will ask the associate, ‘Yeh aisa kyu bol rahe hain (Why is he saying this)? No, we don’t need rehearsal. We will go for a take.’ I am just saying that we need to get out of this system.”
Hai Jawani Toh Ishq Hona Hai: First Look
He will next be seen in the movie Hai Jawani Toh Ishq Hona Hai. Helmed by David Dhawan, the film stars Mrunal Thakur, Pooja Hegde and Varun Dhawan in lead roles, along with Mouni Roy, Maniesh Paul, Jimmy Shergill, Kubbra Sait and others in key roles. The film’s first look was revealed today, April 14, and it received mixed reactions. Many even compared it to Govinda’s 2006 film Sandwich. The film is scheduled to release in theatres on May 22.
Kumar’s insights highlight the importance of collaboration and respect among all cast members for a film’s success. The industry awaits to see how the ensemble cast in ‘Hai Jawani Toh Ishq Hona Hai’ fares on screen.
